Sculpey Premo™ and Sculpey Soufflé™ Lentil Bead Bracelet

Getting Started:

Please make sure your work area is covered and you are not working on an unprotected surface. We recommend working on the Sculpey® Oven-Safe Work Mat, wax paper, metal baking sheet, or disposable foil. Uncured clay may damage unprotected furniture or finished surfaces. Be sure to cover your crafting area appropriately.

Start with clean hands, unwrap and knead clay until soft and smooth, or condition by running clay though a Pasta Machine. We recommend using a designated machine for clay purposes only. When working with multiple colors, clean hands with soap and water or baby wipes (we have found that baby wipes work best) before switching colors. Shape clay, pressing pieces firmly together. Wash hands after use.

Baking (also called Curing):

Begin by preheating oven to 275 °F (130 °C). After you are done creating; for best results bake/cure clay on an oven-proof surface such metal, aluminum foil, an index card or the Sculpey® Clay Mat at 275°F (130 °C) for 30 minutes per 1/4" (6 mm) thickness according to package directions. Oven safe glass or ceramic surfaces are also acceptable for baking/curing; however please note that the baking/curing times may take longer as the glass or ceramic surfaces take longer to heat up. For best baking results, use an oven thermometer. DO NOT USE MICROWAVE OVEN. DO NOT EXCEED THE ABOVE TEMPERATURE OR RECOMMENDED BAKING TIME.

Condition 1/8 bar of each color and shape into a thick log about 2.5” long.

Group the colors up as shown.

Roll and twist the colors into a log.

Keep rolling and twisting to thin the log and multiply the twists. Make the log about 5/8” thick.

Chop the log into equal sections about 5/8” long with the Mini Blade. You will need 10 pieces to complete a bracelet.

Roll each piece into a ball.

It will be best if you read through these instructions first before proceeding if you’ve never made a Lentil Bead before. The process takes you through a ball shape to a bi-cone shape to a Lentil Bead. If you’ve never done this before you may want to find a video online to walk you through it.

Now we will turn each ball into a Lentil Bead. Start by placing one ball with all four colors facing upward under the Lentil Bead Tool.

Holding the Lentil Bead Tool with both hands, rotate the tool making the clay ball spin between the tool and the work surface. Soon the top of the ball will be dragged by the Lentil Bead Tool and the bottom of the ball will be dragged by the work surface as you rotate the tool in a steady motion level to the work surface. Choose which direction you will go - either clockwise or counterclockwise - and
do NOT change the direction once you start rolling. The more rotations the clay goes through the more spirals will be achieved.

This will produce a bi-cone bead with two points each point having a swirl design on the top. I am only stopping here to show you what the bi-cone looks like. It would be ideal if you do not stop and just keep going even though the bi-cone has been achieved

Keep rotating the Lentil Bead Tool parallel to the work surface. Look through the tool to make sure the clay colors are spinning around the top point. When you like the look of the spirals, slow the circles down, make the circle rotations smaller until the bi-cone changes to a Lentil Bead shape.

The entire process takes a lot of practice! It took me a good long time and several tutorial videos before I really got the hang of it! Be patient with yourself and don’t give up - the end result of good technique and beautiful Lentil Beads is worth the investment of time.

Carefully slice the sides off the Lentil Bead to make Square Lentil Beads (if you like).

Poke a horizontal hole - flat side to flat side - through the Lentil Bead for stringing using the Mini Needle Tool.

Repeat Steps 8-13 to make at least 10 Lentil Beads.

Roll a rope of Glacier that is 1/4” thick. Cut off 1/4” pieces to create small spacer beads. Roll each into a ball and pierce with the Mini Needle Tool.
Bake the beads on the Baking Cushion following the baking instructions for Sculpey Soufflé™. Bake the spacer beads following the baking instructions for Sculpey Soufflé™. Allow the beads to cool completely before handling.

String the Lentil Beads with spacers between each one onto stretchy bead cord.

Tie off the bead cord with an overhand knot and pull the knot to hide it into one of the beads.